The AGM was a fiery one. There is no doubt about that.
The fact that the Chairman’s re-election was voted down in Resolution 6 tells you all you need to know about the Celtic fans feelings towards the key figure head of the board.
So out of touch is Bankier and the board, they did not forsee any resistance to the hiring of controversial Police Chief Bernard Higgins to a senior security role within the club.
Higgins was responsible for carrying out the OBAFA 2012 whose main aim was to tackle sectarian hatred and offensive and threatening behaviour at football, especially sectarian hatred, which all sounds great in theory, but all it did do was give police the opportunity to criminally profile all and every football fan in the country.
The Celtic fans are vehemently opposed to this appointment and made their voices crystal clear at the AGM.
But Bankier was in defiant mood {as transcribed by Born Celtic} as he replied, “I am not going to give assurances on what will be an operational matter.
“Health and safety at big arenas is a massive issue.
“We don’t need to recite human tragedies which have occurred over the decades.
“It’s a big topic, high level, strategic, it’s not a role which polices Celtic fans.
“I’m not giving assurances one way or the other.
“When we’re ready to announce something, we will.”
Wow. Talk about reading the room.
Prominent fan group Fans Against Criminalisation (FAC) tweeted their response to that reply and it is fair to say they were not impressed with the Chairman:
The Celtic board shamefully refuses to rule out the appointment of a man who targeted, harassed and criminalised the Celtic support for the best part of a decade, unsurprisingly to an echo of boos from the AGM floor. The message from fans is simple – Higgins is not welcome. pic.twitter.com/S2IrMCmNHN
— FAC (@FACKilltheBill) November 17, 2021
Citing past footballing tragedies to justify the appointment of Bernard Higgins is disgusting. Even more so when you consider that he was the lead for football at the time of the near crush at Celtic Park in 2018. An incident the police swept under the carpet by lying about fans. https://t.co/u75uQxo5s1
— FAC (@FACKilltheBill) November 17, 2021
This view was backed up by John McGinley of popular Celtic fan media outlet 67 Hail Hail:
This answer isn't good enough, and to allude to tragedies of other eras is crass.
Apparently this answer was booed in the room (via @celticrumours) https://t.co/WgId2YWwf8
— John McGinley (@jhnmcgnly) November 17, 2021
And the Celtic fans were less than impressed and it seems that Bankier, along with the current Celtic board are living on borrowed time from the supporters:
Its the pretending like he’s the only person in the world that can do this job and so it must be that really annoys me
— J (@J_Bhoy) November 17, 2021
Our board are not a representation of our football club
— maestro#8 (@cotterboy7) November 17, 2021